Victory Avenue is out of Florida Derby & Kentucky Derby

Victory Avenue will not race next Saturday in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, taking him out of contention for a place in Kentucky Derby 2024.

According to trainer Gustavo Delgado, he is being routed away from that spot in order to "grow up physically (and) mentally."

Victory Avenue, a son of Arrogate who sold for $375,000 as a 2-year-old, finished second behind Speak Easy in a maiden special weight Jan. 27 in his only start to date. He had been entered in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 2, but scratched the morning of the race after being off his feed.

Gustavo Delgado broke onto the national scene in 2023 with Mage. Unraced at two, Mage broke his maiden on debut and finished second in the Florida Derby in only his third career start. He then won the Kentucky Derby, becoming only the third horse to win the run for the roses without racing as a juvenile.

Delgado trains Victory Avenue for a partnership of OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, Upland Flats Racing, Morplay Racing and High Step Racing. OGMA Investments, a partnership run by Delgado's son Gustavo J. Delgado, was also a principal owner of Mage.